


Maniacs

by Bercelak



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Chatlogs, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, First Love, Getting Together, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 07:03:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5365847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bercelak/pseuds/Bercelak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jerome Valeska and Harley Quinzel are merely two innocent teenagers when they meet for the first time. They both have their problems and try to handle their life, until both of them snap and take a dark path in order to survive. A path that leads them to become maniacs and partners in crime. To a life as The Joker and Harley Quinn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Year One

My life has always been kind of chaotic and out of the ordinary. At least if you had a happy childhood and a nice family. I grew up, living with my mother and her ever changing boyfriends. She always claimed the current guy to be the love of her life. I do not believe there being more than one or two loves of your life was possible. It certainly wasn't possible to have at least fifteen loves of your life and how suddenly they always seemed to turn into nightmares. One of this nightmares was my father, who ended up in Black Gate and was found dead after a few weeks of his incarceration. My mother thought it was a relieve, because this saved her a messy divorce, but it wasn't that easy for me. The day she told me my father had died in prison, my heart broke. I loved my father, even if he was a hustler and a thief, because he had loved me, like my mother never could. I wasn't a planned child and she hasn't ever left out a chance to mention that fact, while my father had tried to keep her quiet when I was around. My childhood was a mess and led me onto a path my father would not have approved of, even if he himself had been a crook. He wanted me to be better, I am sure of that. In comparison to that, my mother didn't care at all what I did, as long as I didn't bother her or the current lover boy.

The flat we lived in wasn't much. After dad's incarceration we couldn't afford much and mothers job didn't get us far either. Most of it was invested into booze and cigarettes anyways. It didn't take long for me to start my criminal career with shop lifting. At first I took what I needed to survive, especially at the start, but after a while I took more and more. At some point I sold what I didn't need for little money. Looking back now, it was a miracle nobody ever caught me.

After one of my little 'shopping sprees' I decided to have some more fun and visited Haly's Circus which had been in town once again. I was thirteen at the time and hadn't exactly a lot of friends and since my mom was a not big on hanging out with her daughter, I went there on my own. I somehow managed to sneak in, I didn't have that much money and certainly didn't want to waste it on a useless thing, like a ticket for a circus. Oh boy, had I known what awaited me there I would have paid a lot to make sure I got in. I stole one of the tickets from a family, before they could enter the tent and showed it to the guy that made sure no one could sneak in. I put on my prettiest smile, when he asked where my parents were at and lied to him that I'd meet them inside. Lying had become easier and easier after all these years, because, as much as I despised my mother, I didn't want to end up in the foster care system. It was easier to lie about the bruises, her not taking care of me and the stealing, than ending up in an orphanage or in a detention centre. Everything was fine as long as we lived our separate lives, only connected through the flat we shared. I can't really remember when I stopped loving or even liking my mother, but I was pretty sure it was, when she started to refer to my father and me as the biggest mistakes of her life.

The show was good, I especially liked the acrobatics and the aerial acts. For a while now I engaged a little bit in gymnastics myself, for the sole purpose of staying fit and maybe a little because it was easier to get into college with a talent that could earn a scholarship. I wasn't stupid and knew if I truly wanted to get out of the life my mother lived or that of my father which I had started to indulge in, I needed a degree. I didn't want to be a thief for my whole life, I wanted to be more, something else, but it was hard and I already knew that as a thirteen-year-old girl. At that time, I thought I'd still have a lot of time.

The clowns were funny too and I loved seeing the trained animals doing their tricks. For a little while my problems didn't matter and I was baffled when it was over and the people around me started to leave the tent. Many of them left immediately and others, including me, toured the grounds, went to the old fortune teller and bought some candy. Here it was a little harder to steal, but I had enough money with me to buy me at least some cotton candy and sat down on a bale of straw with it. It was getting dark already and I should get going, but I decided to watch the families roaming the circus grounds a little longer. Nothing waited for me at home anyways. I watched them having fun, some argued and others simply seemed in a rush to get home. While I stuffed the last bit of cotton candy into my mouth and watched a family sharing their candy, I wondered why only I seemed to be alone in this world. How was that fair? Normally I was a lot more perceptive to my surroundings, but I didn't even register someone sneaking up to me from the side, until the person sat down beside me on the bale, foreign knees bumping into mine.

"What's up, sweetheart?" He asked me and I turned my head to face him. "That frown doesn't suit you at all."

He was maybe a little older than I, had a pale complexion and bright ginger hair. He seemed to be a lot taller and had dark blue eyes. He wore a thick sweater and blue jeans. His voice was nice and friendly, but something inside of me told me to run. I wasn't scared easily, so why the hell should I run away from a boy that seemed so harmless? And he was attractive too, in a not so obvious fashion. Of course I must've looked harmless to others too, but I wasn't at all defenseless. You don't go out shop lifting without being prepared to put up a fight, if it was necessary.

"I am not sad." I simply stated and looked away again, registering that the family I had watched earlier had moved on.

"Not anymore. So what's your name?" He didn't seem to go away soon and I hadn't had a nice chat in ages. My gaze returned to him and I smiled a little. Maybe he was fun. He seized me up, took in my appearance and I was sure all he could see was a skinny blonde girl, in worn clothes. I wore torn jeans and a stained black jacket. My blue eyes were way too big for my eyes and my skin was just as pale as his.

"Tell my yours first."

"Fine, princess." He grinned when he addressed me with that stupid nickname. I was a lot but certainly not a fucking princess. "The names Jerome Valeska."

"I'm Harley Quinzel." I finally said and waited for him to make a stupid joke, about my stupid name, like everyone did.

"Really? Your mother truly called you Harley?" He didn't seem to buy it; I wouldn't have either. The name was simply ridiculous. "She called you like a goddamn chopper?"

I winced, if that was only right. "Not really. Don't laugh, but my full name is Harleen Frances Quinzel. Everyone calls me Harley."

He couldn't help himself and started to chuckle. "That is even worse than Jerome. I don't like my name either."

Again I smiled a little. "Jerome is way better than Harleen."

"It's not. Well, then I'll simply call you Harley and you can call me J. How does that sound?" He asked and looked at me with a sweet smile. It somehow looked false and almost too sweet and there my internal fear bubbled up again.

"It was nice to talk to you, J, but I gotta go now. My parents are waiting for me." I lied and got up, quickly brushing dust from my behind and starting to walk away, when he grabbed my wrist and held me back.

"I don't think someone's waiting for you, since you've sneaked in all on your own, grabbed yourself a ticket off a random guy and watched the show all on your own." He grinned at me deviously and I was too baffled to react otherwise, then letting him pulling me back to sit beside him once again.

 

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, but you could at least be so nice and talk to me a little longer." He clearly had been watching me the whole time to know that all.

"Are you some kind of stalker?" I asked him angry and pouted a little.

"I am not. Was simply a little bored, until you waltzed in and provided a little bit of entertainment."

"Isn't the fucking circus entertaining enough?" Evidently not.

"Nah, it gets boring after seeing the same shit for fifteen years. Sometimes they try new stuff, but mostly it is always the same." So he belonged to the circus I finally realized. It hadn't even crossed my mind for a second, he simply didn't look like I always imagined a circus person. He also hadn't been in the show. "But you aren't boring at all, Har~ley-girl. You may look ugly when you're sad, but so cute when you're angry."

Maybe I could talk myself out of this. He wasn't particularly scary and he seemed to like me, but I didn't feel too good around him either. I felt vulnerable and defenseless, which I didn't like at all.

"So you work here? You weren't in the show, were you?"

His smile didn't drop off his face for a second, but I could tell that he wasn't too crazy about this topic. "I am just the son of the snake dancer and help out where I am needed. I'd rather talk about you. Why aren't your parents with you today?"

Now that was a topic I disliked, but he was still holding onto my wrist, gripped it so hard he almost hurt me. I'd humor him a little longer. "My father died in prison six years ago and my mother is a bitch, that doesn't care about me at all, only about the guys she brings home. So why would she go to the circus with me?" Normally this was enough to scare most people away, but all I earned for this statement was an even bigger grin. This ginger was full of surprises.

"At least you don't have to live in a tiny trailer with your mother, listening to how she lets a bloody clown fuck her, right after she had a go with one of the acrobats." Jerome's voice was as cold as ice, but this almost disturbing grin never left his face, even if the grip on my wrist instantly loosened. I couldn't help, but feel a certain sympathy towards him, after all I knew all too well how he must feel. Maybe it was even harder for him, being a guy and all.

"At least your mother isn't afraid, that you could pinch her boyfriends. As if I was interested in the losers she brings home all the time." I snarled and looked away. How could my mother even think, that I could do such a thing as starting something with her guys? I was only thirteen for god's sake! The men she brought home were at least twice my age and I tried hard to keep out of their way. I had been lucky, there hasn't been one with pedophilic tendency's yet.

As weird as it sounded, this topic somehow made me forget how afraid I had been of Jerome mere moments ago. I started to let go of my resentments and saw him for what he was. A kindred soul, that has to go through the same ordeal I have to. He didn't say anything for a while, maybe he hadn't been prepared for my answer, but he still held onto my wrist. I managed to struggle out of his grip, when he didn't seem to pay any attention to me and then I did something that surprised even myself. Instead of running from him, as I had previously planned, I took his hand in mine and looked up into his troubled eyes.

"Our mothers are whores. So what?" I couldn't help myself, but trying to cheer him up, with one of my prettiest grin. "We don't need them, do we?"

A sincere smile appeared on his lips and I couldn't help but admire these cute freckles and wonder if somebody had ever tried to count them. Suddenly my fear and bitterness was gone.

"You are a weird little girl. I like that." Then he did something I would have never expected, even if this evening was full of surprises. Jerome lowered his face to mine and placed a small kiss on my lips. His lips were soft and even if it was just a light touch, it was my first kiss nonetheless. Where the hell had that come from? But again, I was more startled by my reaction, as I raised my free hand and lay it on his cheek, keeping him from drawing back. This time it was me that reached out to his mouth and placed a not so chaste kiss on his lips. Never before had I been interested in kissing a boy, but now a foreign feeling troubled my stomach.

"You taste like pure sugar, sweetheart." He purred when he managed to pull back anyways.

I panted a little. "Cotton candy."

"I guessed that, princess." With that he got up and I reluctantly let go of his hand. "You should head home now. Maybe we'll see each other again."

"When, J?" I asked and tried not to sound whiney.

Jerome grinned at me again and I started to like his wicked expression a lot more than I probably should.

"Next year."

Jerome walked away after ushering these awful words, leaving me with no choice that to stay put. My legs were shaking as I sat there, staring at his back and kept wondering what had just happened.

* * *


	2. Year Two

**Day One**

* * *

Anticipation shot threw me as soon as I saw the posters and other advertisements for Haly’s Circus, almost a year after seeing Jerome for the last time. I’ve spent the last year pondering over the short encounter I had with the ginger haired, weird boy, who has haunted my dreams since then. Even if he wasn’t the friendliest or prettiest boy I had met, I failed to forget him, no matter how many boys I had kissed after him. Okay, it weren’t that many, but I had to do some research, after the first kiss he had given me and it never felt quite the same. Jerome certainly knew how to kiss and left me ruined for all the others boys. At least that would have been something, my mother would have said, while I still refused to have such strong feelings towards someone I barely even knew. I wasn’t my mother, throwing myself at a guy and leaving everything else behind, but I can’t deny that I was looking forward to meeting him again. I was giddy for days, when the advertisements for the circus started to pop up and the date of them arriving moved closer and closer. In the last year I had tried to contact him, but I couldn’t find a contact address, or a telephone number for that matter and I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to talk to him at the first place, if he made me feel that way. Above everything else, I didn’t want to become my mother. I wasn’t a slut that defined her life over men. My year wasn’t very spectacular. I am in high school now, still a shop lifter and trying hard to get into the cheerleader squad, while improving my gymnastic skills and keeping up my good grades. So far it was going okay, but it was getting more and more difficult to manage the workload. Things between my mother and I were getting more and more nasty too. I had always been a skinny, little girl, due to my ambitions towards my gymnastics scholarship, but in the last year I hit puberty hard. I had hoped that I would have another year or two, but no. I was still skinny and not so tall, but without realizing it at first, my mini boobs grew too a steady B cup and a had more defined curves. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to grow up, I enjoyed that a lot, but my mother and her current boyfriend noticed it as well. My mother suddenly felt intimidated by a younger woman in the house and I could tell her numerous times, I had no interest in her fuck buddies, but she wouldn’t ever listen to me. For starters, I wasn’t interested in becoming a slut and sleeping with the men my mother seemed to prefer and then there was that little obsession I had with a certain ginger stranger. I never told my mother, about the circus or Jerome for that matter, but she registered something anyways. That bitch always stuck her nose into my life, when I didn’t want her there at all, but soon enough she let me be again, lost her interest in me as fast as it had started.

  
As soon as the circus set up their camp, I was there. After all my fears and insecurities, I couldn’t keep myself from running to him, even if I hadn’t heard a single word from him in a year. Would he even remember me? Surely he met a lot of weird, little girls on the tours.

I tried to look confident, when I marched through the trailers and tents the carnival workers were setting up eagerly. Some of them looked at me confused, but didn’t approach me. I was glad that no one seemed to be bothered with me, but I hadn’t seen Jerome yet. There was a pretty girl, not far away from me now and she too saw me. She didn’t look to bad, so I walked towards her and looked at her with a small smile.  
“What are you doing here?” She asked me. “We haven’t opened for visitors yet.” The girl frowned a little, but didn’t seem to be too bothered. I wasn’t surprised, nobody ever thought I was intimidating, so everyone kept on underestimating or ignoring me, which only was beneficial for thieving.

“Sorry to bother you, but I am looking for a friend who’s working here. Can you tell me where I can find him?” I asked politely. “His name’s Jerome.”

The girl snorted, but answered immediately. “He’s back at his mother’s trailer, setting up her stuff. You can find it right there, in the back.” She pointed through two white and red painted trailers. “Are you sure you are looking for him? Jerome doesn’t have a lot of friends. He’s weird.”

My smile faltered for a moment. “I am, don’t worry. Thank you for pointing me into the right direction.”

Somehow it worried me, her saying he had not many friends. Not because it made me think differently of meeting him again, but how she said it like it was a bad thing. I didn’t have that many friends either and preferred to be on my own. Yes, he was a little bit weird, but he was nice as well. I only hoped that I hadn’t romanticized our little encounter over the last year, because yes, he had been nice at first. Then he got a little bit scary, until he managed to melt my heart with the story about his mother, a story I could really well relate with. Maybe it wasn’t that good that he had given me that little kiss and the whole attention.

Hopefully he was where the girl had directed me to, I kept walking and saw some of the pretty acrobats. Only one of them saw me walking by and he winked at me. I rolled with my eyes and quickly left, before could stop working to approach me. My face lit up when I finally saw a red mop of hair in front of me. It only could be him, I was sure! He crouched in front of a box, looking inside and didn’t seem to hear me walking up to him.

“Hey, J!” My voice was brittle, but full of joy when I watched him turning around. At first he looked a little bit confused, but soon that infernal grin appeared on his face, as soon as he recognized me.

“Harley.” He stated as he rose to his full height and seized me up. I had spent days, if not weeks to find some decent clothes and had stolen so many pieces of clothing, until I was satisfied with my looks. My outfit wasn’t really special, but I put a lot of thought into it, nonetheless. I wore a pair of skinny jeans, black ankle boots and a dark red sweater, that complimented my newly gained curves. I had even grown a little bit taller, but he had as well. My head barely reached his shoulders. Jerome wore the same kind of clothes, he had on the last time, a dark blue sweater and jeans.

“How have you been?” I asked him curiously and tried not to start dancing the happy dance.

“Fine I guess.” He averted my gaze and looked around, as if he feared that someone could watch or listen in on us. “Let’s take a walk, get somewhere more private, okay?”

“Okay.” Was my simple answer and I followed him, out of the camp, towards the river that separated us from Gotham. We didn’t stop, until the water was right before us, the circus as well as its people far behind us and then he finally looked at me again.

“I hope I’m not bugging you, J.” Maybe I said this a little too late.

“You aren’t.” He simply stated. “I was just a little surprised to see you again.”

“Why? I clearly wanted to meet you again, when we parted ways last year.” I thought that had been obvious, but I probably wasn’t the only one with insecurities.

“I wasn’t really a gentleman, back then, Harley. You hadn’t met me on one of my good days.”

“It wasn’t one of my best either, until you came along.” It really hadn’t been. The happy families had upset me and after I had been done being scared of him, he had brightened up my mood at least for a little bit. Jerome sat down on the ground and stared at Gotham’s skyline.

After I lowered myself to the spot beside him, he spoke up again. “How’s it going with your mother?”

“Not so good, it gets more and more difficult. And how’s yours?”

“She is a pain in the ass as always. Keeps nagging, keeps banging the clown.” He sighed and leaned a bit back. “So. You’ve come back to see me.”

“I did.” A blush crept onto my cheeks, when he smiled at me. “And maybe I’ve hoped to continue where we left off last year.”

“Did you now?” His grin grew even wider. “I didn’t expect to see you again, after scaring you off.”

“You did scare me a little, but I am not afraid of you. I liked talking to you and didn’t mind kissing you at all.” At least I thought I wasn’t afraid of him, even if he had in fact scared me a little, when he had refused to let me go. Over the year I’ve found myself in much more unpleasant situations, than being forced to talk a little with Jerome.

“I am surprised you even came on the day we arrived. I must’ve made quite the impression during our little chat, but so did you. You were already pretty back then, but now you are simply gorgeous, Harley-girl.” I blushed a little when he complimented my looks, after all I had put quite an effort into my wardrobe and even did my hair. Usually I wore it in a ponytail, but today I wore my straight blonde hair down and after using some extra expensive conditioner it looked extra shiny.

“Thank you for saying that. I looked awful last year, you don’t have to sugar coat it.”

“Why should I? It’s the truth, even if you look a lot more grown up now. How’s your life going then?” Why did he have to go back to this topic?

“It’s alright. My mother keeps accusing me of trying to steal her boyfriend, but at least I am in high school now. I am getting along, stealing what I need and saving up some money, so I can move out as soon as possible.” I’ve thought about it a long time, if I should tell him about my thieving. Guess he won’t tell the police, after he caught me stealing before and didn’t seem to be troubled by it.

“So that’s how you get along. Stealing everything your mother can’t provide. Aren’t you afraid of getting caught? How old are you anyways?” He didn’t smile anymore and seemed a little worried.

“No I’m not. I am good at it and so far nobody ever caught me, since I started four years ago. I just turned fourteen a few weeks ago. Why are you asking? You can’t be much older than I am…” Jerome still looked the same as last year, maybe a little bit taller.

“Okay, I won’t ask again. I am sixteen and I already wanted to ask when we met for the first time, but I forgot, as soon as we started to talk about our mothers.” His mother really seemed to be a sour topic and I could exactly understand why. When he talked about her or listened how I told him about my mother, his grin disappeared and he looked sadly at me. I liked him a lot better with his nasty grin.

“Yeah, that somehow was a mood killer, but you know, if you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. I know exactly how it is to live with such a woman. How has your year been so far? Did you miss me?” The last question was more of a joke, even if I really wanted to know the answer.

There it was again, his grin. “Maybe a little. I thought of you from time to time and never met a girl quite like you again.”

Had he spent some time with other girls? A pang of jealousy startled me, even if I shouldn’t, after all I had been with other boys as well, even if nothing more than a bit of kissing happened.

“There aren’t any other girls like me.” Hopefully he couldn’t hear how upset I was and quickly looked away.

Suddenly I heard him laugh. “You are one of a kind, sweetheart. Don’t be mad at me.” He slung an arm around me shoulder and pulled me closer, against his chest. “Do you have any plans for today? It’s still early and I’d like to see Gotham.”

“My only plan was meeting you again and since I accomplished that we can do whatever you want. I can show you around Gotham.” Hopefully he said yes, I’d love to spend the whole day with him and get to know him better. I needed to know if my first of him was right, that he really was different than all the other boys I had meet before. There was something about him and I couldn’t quite tell what it was yet. Underneath the nice smile he seemed to show everyone, except for myself after enraging him, seemed to be something much darker. It was a familiar darkness, which sometimes surfaced when my mother or her ever changing boyfriends couldn’t leave me alone.

“Won’t your mother be upset when you spend the whole day with an older guy?” Even if he despised to talk about his mother, he seemed to like to bring up my problems with mine.

“She won’t, because she’ll never know. It’s none of her business with who I meet or spend my days with or nights for that matter.” I almost regretted my bold words, I certainly didn’t want him to think I was a slut, but I didn’t believe in lying to people I liked. Lying was necessary to survive in Gotham, especially in the Narrows and I had no problem with that, but it simply felt wrong to lie to Jerome. After all I wanted him to be honest with me as well.

All I got in return for my blunt answer was a dirty grin. We were on our way back into the city when he finally spoke again. “Aren’t there any decent boys in Gotham, or why are you so insistent on getting to know me?”

“There are, but no one as cunning as you are. Good high school boys aren’t my type. They wouldn’t survive a day beside me.”

“Hey. I am a good boy.” He pretended to be offended, but after a moment he started to laugh. “You say you are a bad girl, but I don’t believe it. How dangerous could you possibly be? Harley-girl, you are so tiny and fragile, sweet and innocent.”

“Most people underestimate me; you aren’t the first one to tell me that. Appearances are often deceiving and so am I.”

“Say what you want, I’ll believe it as soon as I see it, even if I’m still impressed you came back to see me.” There was no need to say more and I couldn’t blame him for doubting my words. So I changed the topic, as soon as we reached the bridge, leading back into the center of Gotham.

“Are you hungry? We could have something for lunch and then I’ll show you around the hell hole I call home.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart. Take the lead and surprise me.”

At this point I would’ve killed to know what he was thinking.

 

“And here I thought you’d steal something for our lunch break? Where is that bad girl now, you earlier told me about?” He chuckled before he bit into his burger and watched me intently.

“Didn’t want to ruin our first date with running from some angry shop owner.” He almost choked when he heard what I’d said and coughed hard on a bite of burger. “What? Isn’t this kinda date? I’m trying hard on seducing you.” This time it was me laughing on my own joke, even if there was a bit of truth within it.

As soon as he could breathe properly again he said: “It’s not working too well.”

“Why not? I dressed up nicely and paid for your lunch. Most guys don’t even do that for a girl and expect immediate sex.”

“I thought only good guys hit on you. One of those must have taken you out before.” He took a sip of his drink and looked at me expectantly.

Slowly I shook my head. “I’ve been on a single date before with a nice guy, but never again. Everything after that date, was rather… spontaneous.”

“Oh Harley-girl, and there I thought I could earn myself another few first times.”

“You still can. I didn’t do much more than a bit kissing.” Quickly I shoved two French fries into my mouth and tried not to blush. Again he simply laughed.

“You’re searingly honest, it almost hurts. I love it.”

“I always am.”

As soon as we were done with our meal I took Jerome around the city, showed him the Wayne Building and other popular sites. We didn’t talk too much, nothing more than a little bit of small talk. Sometimes I caught him staring at me, as if he tried to figure me out. The scenery started to change as closer as we were getting to the Narrows.

“What’s up next, Harley-girl?”

Quickly I turned to him and smiled. “Do you want to see where I live? My mother is at her boyfriend’s place today and won’t get home soon.”

“You shouldn’t invite a boy into your home. He might get wrong ideas.” His voice was full of amusement, but I knew enough about this game he wanted to play.

“You can tell me, if I annoy you and I won’t bother you ever again.” The hell was wrong with me? I was an independent and strong young woman, not some bimbo craving for a boy’s attention! It hadn’t crossed my mind, but probably he didn’t even want to get to know me better. This had to stop immediately.

“Hey, I didn’t want to piss you off. I thought you liked my sense of humor.” He lightly touched my shoulder. “Just don’t want to scare you off again, sweetheart.”

“I do love your sense of humor, but sometimes I don’t know when the joke ends.” He had me so distracted, I almost walked past the building I lived in. “Here we are.”

I stopped and turned to him, pointing to the entrance and waited for a reaction. The front door and façade of the apartment building was covered in ragged graffiti. Some windows were bashed in and an old lady watched us standing in front of the door.

“Are we going in now? I can’t wait to see your bedroom. And if that still wasn’t bold enough for you… no you are not annoying and I’d love to get to know you better.” This time he genuinely smiled at me and motioned me to take the lead again.

“Of course!” I exclaimed giddily and pushed open the door and held it open for him. “The flat is on the second floor.”

We had to climb a few stairs and as always, I tried not to look to closely at the icky stuff laying in my way. There was everything in this hallways. Syringes, used condoms and vomit. For me it wasn’t new and I guess he had seen places like this before too, because he didn’t even flinch, when I walked around a puddle of rather fresh blood. I quickly pulled out my keys and unlocked the door to the apartment I shared with my mother, hit the door with a foot and pushed it open. It creaked loudly and as soon as Jerome was inside, I closed it and dead bolted it. When I turned around I saw Jerome looking into the living room and could guess what he was looking at. The room was dirty, full of empty liquor bottles and overflown ash trays. A foreign feeling started to rise inside of me, I think it was embarrassment.

“Come on, my room’s here.” I grabbed one of his hands and pulled him along, until we reached another closed door. Swiftly I pulled out another key and opened the door. I never left my room open, I didn’t want my mother or her men inside of it. They also shouldn’t find my savings.

“Get in and get comfortable.”

My room was probably the only clean spot in this whole apartment, my save haven, at least for the moment. It was a little room painted in white and pale pink, but here and there the painting came off. I had few belongings, because I tried not to get too attached to material things. Somehow I had the feelings, one day I’d have to leave all behind, even if I didn’t know for certain why. Maybe my mother would kick me out or I simply couldn’t stand it anymore.

Jerome sat on my bed and patted the empty space beside him, he looked expectantly at me. I smiled and sat down beside him. My bed wasn’t special, it was an old single bed, but the bedding was rather new and fluffy. To be honest, I just put it on yesterday, because I had hoped we’d end up here together.

“Are you getting all these wrong ideas now, finally, being in my room?” I flirtatiously cocked an eyebrow and grinned at him. “You can’t scare me away anymore; I find you way too fascinating to let you off that easy.”

This time he didn’t smile or grin at me, simply raised an arm and caressed one of my cheeks. He looked at my lips for a moment, before his eyes found mine again. “Before you get ahead of yourself we have to set up a few rules.”

“What kind of rules?” Worry bubbled up inside me. What rules could he have in mind?  
As I looked at him with a frown he started to chuckle. “They aren’t too bad, sweetheart and I am sure you’re eager to please. First of all, don’t get clingy and we’re fine. I don’t want to meet your mother and you don’t want to meet mine. Do what I tell you and most importantly… don’t get in my way. Got that?”

“Sounds easy enough.” I replied and added: “Especially that mother part won’t be hard.”

It seemed like this was answer enough for him, because in the next moment his lips were on mine. Immediately I gave in, put my arms around his neck and pushed myself closer to him. This kiss was a lot more different than our first, it was passionate and rushed, but oh so sweet. His tongue urged my lips to open up for him and I really was eager to please him. His tongue invaded my mouth and mine was ready to play. I felt his hands everywhere, first he stroked my back, then he moved to my hips, squeezed hard and made me squirm beneath his touch. It hadn’t been like this with all the other boys and I feared it wouldn’t ever be. Cautiously I moved my arms back, started to explore his body a little before he pulled back.

“Get on the bed.” He demanded and I did as he said, crawled into the middle of the mattress. Clumsily I shrugged out of my jacket at the same time and threw it on the ground, while he followed my example and put off his sweater. He joined me on the bed, toppled me over and sat above me, trapped my small body between his knees. A grin was plastered to his face once again and it didn’t even disappear when he leaned in to kiss me again. He steadied himself with his arms, a hand at each side of my head. Normally I would have felt trapped in an embrace like this and sooner or later I’d kicked him off, but not today, not him. Jerome was special, I had known that from the beginning. We were alike, had the same problems, even if our lifestyle couldn’t be more different. I got to know him better today and he’d given me no reason to back off, even if he wasn’t very talkative.

“A penny for your thoughts.” Jerome’s words startled me and I looked up into his confused eyes. I hadn’t even registered that he’d stopped kissing me.

“Oh sorry. I was just…” I started but didn’t know what to say. “Sorry to ruin the mood. That whole situation is kinda new for me.”

“Don’t worry, it’s fine.” Obviously it wasn’t, because he rolled off me and lay down beside me. He had to snuggle up to me, since the bed was rather small. “We can continue some other time. I’ll be here for another few days.”

He must’ve thought I was scared or not ready to do more and maybe he was right. “Tell me something about you and your life. You hardly talked to me today.” I turned to my side and curled up beside him, putting my head on his arm and caressing his chest softly with a hand.

I was met with silence for a few long moments, but then he sighed and made himself a little more comfortable beside me. “I wanted to leave the circus for numerous times already, but my mother won’t let me go. Every time I prepare to leave, she seems to find out and promises to change. You can guess, she never does. One day I’ll leave, but not today.”

“I’m sure you can leave sooner or later.”

“Until then I have to pretend everything is alright, even if I don’t know how long I can stand it anymore. The constant nagging, her fucking every guy that she meets and the booze.” His voice seemed distant and cold.

“Why are you pretending to be a good boy? You certainly were really charming when you first talked to me last year, but I like your grinning and cunning self a lot better.” This had bothered me since then.

“It’s easier to blend in and to avoid attraction. I am everything but a good guy.” His upper arm twitched beneath my head, when he moved a little beside me. “Nobody before preferred my _real_ self.”

Jerome placed a soft kiss onto my head and started to get up. “What are you doing?”  
“I got to go, but we’ll meet again tomorrow, okay?” I raised my head from his arm and let him go. “I’ve still got some work to do and I am sure my mother already noticed I ditched setting up camp.”

Again I started to apologize, but he didn’t let me finish. “No need to apologize, Harley-girl. Give me your phone.” He held out his hand to me and I quickly fished my phone out of my jeans pocket, handed it over. I watched him typing something in, hopefully his number and as soon as he was finished he returned it. He surprised me with a quick peck to my lips and left me blushing.

“Send me a text tonight and we’ll set something up for tomorrow. Hope you have some time.” He winked at me and turned to leave. “Don’t forget to lock the door.”

As soon as he had left the apartment, I returned into my bedroom and let myself fall onto the mattress. I could still feel his hands on my body and my lips were slightly swollen. Even if I told myself over and over again that it wasn’t more than a friendship with a little bit of making out, I knew that I was starting to fall for him. Their time together was limited and I don’t take him for the kind of guy that would agree to a long-distance relationship.

This whole situation left me with one question. When did I turn into a love-sick puppy?

* * *


	3. Year Two

**Day Two**

* * *

 

**_June 23 rd _ **

 

_08:13_

Harley-Girl

Hey J! Hope you reached the circus grounds in time yesterday. Sorry I didn’t text, my mom came home early and forced me to cook for her and lover boy. >.>

 

_08:48_

Mr. J

Yeah, I did. It’s fine, don’t worry.

 

_08:49_

Harley-Girl

When can we meet again? :D

 

_08:51_

Mr. J

Not today. The bitch’s angry I was away yesterday. Is tomorrow okay?

_08:55_

Harley-Girl

Sorry to hear that. Sure thing Mr. J! Do you want to do smthg or shall we just hang out? I like that nickname btw. Mr. J <3

 

_09:01_

Mr. J

I knew you would, sweetheart ;) I’ll meet you at your flat in the afternoon, okay?

_09:02_

Harley-Girl

Okay, can’t wait to see you again~

 

_10:55_

Mr. J

You got a skirt or dress? Make sure to wear one, no pantyhose.

 

_11:05_

Harley-Girl

I don’t even own a pantyhose… but I do own a nice skirt.

  
_11:12_

Mr. J

Good girl. Cya tomorrow.

 

_11:12_

Harley-Girl

Cya :)

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for stopping by and reading my crappy, first Joker/Harley fanfiction~  
> The next chapter will be a normal full lenght text chapter again, don't worry :)


	4. Year Two

Day Three

* * *

Hopefully this day'd end better than it had started. My mother woke me up way too early and wanted me to go buy some more alcohol for her and some cigs for her current boyfriend Bert. Mostly I didn’t bother to memorize their names, but Bert was here longer than some others before him. Things were easier and not as awkward as when I called them new dude and since he held out longer than most, he deserved to be called by his name, even if I didn’t particularly like him. After I dressed in some sweat pants and pullover and took some money from Bert, I got the stuff they requested. I didn’t want to fight too much today; after all I’d have a date with J and he would leave town soon again. I rushed to get their things, because I needed some time to prepare myself.

As soon as I came home and handed out the alcohol and cigarettes, I jumped into the shower, bathed quickly and then tried to find that skirt I had had in mind when we talked yesterday. I blow dried my hair and pulled it up into a high ponytail when it was dry enough. My mother shot me a curious look when I rushed out of the shower and back into my room, but I ignored her. It took some time, but after a while I found the skirt I was looking for. It was a red and black pleated mini skirt and combined it with a black short sleeved blouse and my knee high black boots. Beneath that I wore a red lace bra and matching panties. I hardly ever put on much make up and didn’t bother with it today either. The only exception was, when I needed to look very much older than fourteen. A little bit of lip gloss was enough and after putting on my jacket I was ready to go. I put some dollar bills and my phone into my pockets and was already pushing down the door handle, when I heard my mother approach.

“Where do you think you’re going, dressed like that? You look like a baby prostitute.” My mother looked at me as if I was a filthy whore. God, how I hated her mood as soon as she was sober. Suddenly she pretended to be an honorable mother. Maybe she knew something was keeping my busy and well entertained, because she always started nagging as soon as I was in a good mood.

“That’s none of your business.” She wouldn’t get more of an answer from me today and I swiftly opened the door, left, before she could insult me even more. I wasn’t the slut; this was already her title. She didn’t like my answer and yelled something after me, but I couldn’t hear her clearly enough anymore to hear what she screamed.

Her words hurt, even if I tried to ignore her. I dressed nicer than some other girls who lived in the Narrows. It may have been okay for mother to sell her body for a few bucks, but this wasn’t something I’d even consider for a second. At some point my mother had sold her body, not long after father’s death. She had been a stripper and most of them did way more than stripping. I hadn’t known that at first, not until one of her exes had told me and urged her to do it again, because it was an easy way to get to much money. I don’t know and care if she did it again, but I was shocked to find out how far mother had fallen.

I ran down the stair case and tried to banish her from my thoughts and was glad I met nobody on my way outside. The front door was widely open, it often was and all worries fell off me as soon as I was out on the street.  
“Good morning, Harley-girl.” I turned my head and couldn’t believe my eyes, when I found Jerome leaning against the graffiti covered façade, but as soon as he spotted me, he started to walk towards me.  
“You’re already here!” I stated and overcame the distance between us, threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. He sighed and reluctantly put an arm around my middle. The other urged my head into the right angle for him to kiss me. How should I ever survive with him gone?

Far too soon he pushed me away. “I’m not too fond of an audience. Let’s get going.” He pointed his finger up and my gaze followed his, up to one of my flats windows. Oh my God! My mother and Bert were staring down and before she could yell something doubtlessly nasty, Bert pulled her back and closed the window. I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t think of anything witty, so I closed it again.

Since I didn’t move, Jerome grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know she’d be curious enough to watch me leave.”

“You seriously need to stop apologizing the whole time.”

Again I opened my mouth to apologize, but he gave me a warning glare, before I could speak up again. “I’ll try not to. What’re your plans for today, J?”

A grin spread on his lips and he let go off my hand, as soon as I walked steadily beside him. “I didn’t plan a lot, just hoped that you now a place where we can be alone for a little. Nice skirt by the way.”

“Thank you, I hoped you’d like my outfit.” I smiled at his compliment. “I know where we could go. It’s a little place I retreat to, when I need a little breathing space.”

“Why don’t you leave your mother? You seem independent enough to get along on your own, even if you aren’t near at being eighteen yet.” He asked and obviously wanted to continue our conversation from the day before yesterday.

“A friend of mine is living on the streets. She’s about my age, maybe a little younger and doing good, but I don’t want to life in the constant fear of getting raped or robbed. I need my undisturbed beauty sleep and I’ll leave my mother as soon as I saved enough money and find someone willing to rent out an apartment to me.” That was my great plan, but I feared it would take a lot of years until I managed that. Maybe I could find some kind of dormitory, if I somehow got into college. It wasn’t easy to find a decent flat in Gotham. After all it had to be at least a little safe and most of all affordable.

“At least you have a good plan. I have no idea, what I could do beside the circus crap. You got any further plans, after high school?” He seemed genuinely interested. Most people didn’t want to know about what I thought or planned and that made Jerome even more special.

“It’s a stupid idea…” I began and wasn’t sure if I should tell him about my illusive dreams, because even I knew that I’d most likely end up in Black Gate or even Arkham Asylum, if I put up a believably crazy act.

“Come on. You can tell me, even if I can’t promise not to laugh.” Even at the very moment he couldn’t hide a grin.

“Well. I’ll try to get a scholarship for Gothams university… getting a degree and maybe becoming a psychiatrist, but somehow I don’t believe it will work.” Nobody in school knew how I acquire clothing, food and sometimes shiny stuff I could sell.

He surprised me with only a little bit of chuckling. “So you really do plan to live an honest life? Is stealing already getting boring or too dangerous? Somehow I can’t imagine you as a psychiatrist. You are way too blunt and sexy for such a buttoned up career.”

“I think it could be an interesting and exciting field, examining crazy people’s minds and maybe helping them back into a normal life.”

Suddenly he looked at my pitifully. “You think you could change or mother, don’t you? But let me tell you something, people like our mothers usually don’t _want_ to change. They don’t know that what they are doing to the people around them is wrong.”

“You can’t know that. I am sure that neither my nor your mother is happy with how their life’s are progressing.” I didn’t want to believe my mother was content with her life, but if I was hundred percent honest to myself, I knew that he was right. A few years ago I had stolen some more jewelry and got a lot of money out of it. With that I had tried to convince my mother to buy some new clothes, get a decent job again, so we could move to a nicer flat, but she had preferred to spend my gift on booze, cigarettes and drugs.

“Okay, I guess you are right.” I sighed in defeat and let my gaze travel to the pavement.

Swiftly he put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his side. “Don’t be sad. Deep down you already knew all that.”

“I do, but a spark of hope makes it easier to live with her.”

We needed to drop this topic again, it made me too sad and a bit angry, because no matter about what we talked, it ended with either his or my mother. Before he could push me away again, I put my arm on his back and held him close. I was glad he didn’t try to shake me off, I wanted to be close to him as long as he was here.

Just one more block, until we reached the little spot I sometimes retreated to and I couldn’t what to finally having him for myself again. We were still in the Narrows, but the setting worsened with each block we passed and slowly the buildings got more and more ruinous.

“We’re almost there.” I happily said and hoped no one else was there today. Of course I had asked my friends to stay of our hideout today, but they weren’t always listening, after all it wasn’t exclusively _my_ hideout. If I’d want it to be mine completely I’d have to get a little bit more violent than I was comfortable with, especially when I considered the others my colleagues. All of them were strays, most of them orphans, who refused to stay at the same place for too long, for obvious reasons. It also wasn’t my first and only hideout, I wasn’t stupid and knew when I had to move. Two times I almost ran into a raid of the police, but I was lucky enough to get away in time.

“Good.” I felt his arm moving from my shoulder and wanted to start to protest, when one of his palms landed on my ass and squeezed one of my butt cheeks hard.

“Mistah J!” I objected, but had to giggle so hard at the same time he knew I wasn’t angry or offended. “You’re a naughty boy.”

“I like how you say my name, sweetheart. Every naughty boy needs an even naughtier girl at his side; don’t you agree?” He laughed and put his arm back over my shoulders.

“You are so right!” I squealed and smiled up at him.

I could get used to him, even if I shouldn’t and was glad when we finally reached the abandoned building we headed to. “Here it is.”

Quickly I looked around to see if anybody was around or watching us, before we walked to the back of the building. All entrances and windows of the first and second floor were boarded-up, except for one window. The wooden planks were loose and it was fairly easy to push them aside to get into the former office complex.

“I know it’s rather dark, but here and there a bit of light comes through. Your eyes will accustom to the lighting conditions in no time.” I grabbed one of his hands and pulled him along. “We just need to climb the stairs to the third floor and then we’re there.”

My words were met with silence, but he squeezed my hand firmly for a moment and let me take the lead once again. I’d love to know if he would take the lead if it was his neighborhood and not mine. Sometimes he was really dominant and then again he kept silent and let me take over, even if it was for a short amount of time. I am sure, if I provoked him long enough he’d put me in my place, but I enjoyed it way more, when my actions pleased him. The longer I thought about this, it got more and more awkward.

I knew exactly why he wanted to be alone with me and what would happen if we finally would be. Often people thought I was naïve and stupid, simply because I was a tiny blonde, but I knew enough. If I hadn’t been side tracked by my thoughts the last time we had been in a rather explicit situation, I’d have let him have his way with me. This left me hoping we wouldn’t be interrupted today.

The room I led him too, was on the third floor. It wasn’t barricaded or locked, which would only attract other strays to break in and see what treasures I hid in there. No need to say, there weren’t any treasures, beside an old leather sofa and a few worn out and stained mattresses. A little window enlightened the room a little through torn see-through curtains.

“Tada.” I said and motioned to the old, little room, that once had been an office. I had moved the desk and cabinets out, to have more room, but it was still rather small. “I know it isn’t special, but there isn’t the slightest chance one of our mothers walking in on us.”

Jerome walked over to the leather sofa and let himself fall down. “And solely for this reason it’s perfect, sweetheart.” His voice was dark, but still full of amusement. A grin was spreading over his face slowly while he was looking at me, watching as I pulled off my jacket and threw it over the backrest of the sofa. “Come here.”

There was no way I wouldn’t obey him, therefore I moved closer to him and straddled him. “What next?” I asked playfully and felt his cold hands slide over my naked thighs, up beneath my skirt. He stopped slightly under my hipbones and squeezed my flesh hard.

“What do you want me to do next, Harley-girl?” I felt his fingers grabbing the waistband of my panties and pulling at them teasingly.

“Kiss me.” My voice was hardly audible, but he didn’t need more to close the distance between our lips. My hands roamed over his chest, his shoulders, until one settled in the nape of his neck. For the first time I let my fingers brush through his fire red hair, which was so much softer than I’d ever imagined. In no time his tongue evaded my mouth, mingled with mine and somewhere in the back of my mind I registered, his hands wander to the front of my body. Jerome’s palms cupped my breasts and squeezed them not so softly and left me gasping into the kiss. Our lips parted for a second and while I gasped for air, he chuckled lowly and started to undo my blouse. His intense gaze embarrassed me and even if I tried not to look away, I couldn’t stop from blushing.

“I love it when your whole face turns scarlet as soon as I start touching you.” I felt my cheeks burn and surely they got even redder, after him saying such nice things. As soon as he had my blouse open he brushed it off my shoulders. Reluctantly I let go off his hair and let the piece of fabric fall to the ground. I caught him looking at my almost exposed body, his hands carefully roaming over my flat stomach, reaching my ribcage and halting right before his fingers touched the fabric of my bra. I was watching every movement of him and was surprised when he placed a little peck on the corner of my mouth. His lips didn’t linger on mine for long, as he started to lick over my jaw and finally sucking the soft flesh of my neck. I gasped when he started to suck harder, surely leaving marks and at the same time I barely registered his hands swiftly opening the clasp of my bra. I let him peel it off me raised my arms a little to help him a little.

“It’s so unfair, you’re still fully dressed!” At that Jerome shoved me of his lap rather ruggedly, but he made sure I landed on the sofa spread out before him. I adjusted my legs and watched him crawl between my open legs. Way too slowly for my taste he shrugged out of his west and shirt all at once.

“Better?” He asked and this time it was me, seizing him up. That pants had to disappear too soon. His arms were covered with freckles and his body was slightly toned, must’ve been the physical work in the circus or maybe he worked out a little.

“A lot better.” I managed to answer and lifted a hand to touch his naked chest, but he caught it midair and chuckled wickedly.  
“You’re quite eager to explore, aren’t ya? Go on if you dare.” I hesitantly nodded and as soon as he let go off my wrist, I slightly touched his shoulders, let my trembling fingers slide down over his chest. I hadn’t touched a guy like this before and finally understood why my mother seemed to love having company. While I explored, he did as well. His hands started low, stroked once again my thighs, up to my hips and then farther up my side until he reached my now bare chest. I shut my eyes in anticipation, wondering how it would feel if he touched them, if it was as amazing as I imagined. But he never did touch me, after some seconds of holding my breath, I heard him laughing.  
“Oh my, Harley-girl!” Startled I opened my eyes again and looked at him again. “You’re so sweet, so perfect. I can’t wait to ruin your flawless skin.”

Maybe I should have been scared of him and his threats, but couldn’t bring myself to feel something else than admiration and anticipation. I wanted him and I needed him to touch me right now.

“Please, J…”  
“Please what?” He smiled innocently at me and refused to touch me any further. “Tell me what you want.”

Embarrassment got the better of me and I averted my gaze, looked to the side. He didn’t like that were much, put two fingers on my jaw and forced me to look at him again. “Be a good girl and tell me what you want.”

I struggled to answer. Under normal circumstances I would have had no problem to be bold and simply say what I wanted, but all this, having him on top of me was so unfamiliar. “I want you to touch me and kiss me, and most of all you got to get rid of those damn pants!” As soon as I had started to talk I couldn’t hold back anymore. “What have you done to me? Before meeting you I wasn’t even looking twice at boys.”

Suddenly he lowered his head and sucked one of my nipples between his lips, groped the other one with a hand and made me shriek. I tensed beneath him and felt an unknown heat rousing in the pit of my stomach. This feeling only intensified when his free hand moved under my skirt and gripped may panties and started to pull them off. He brushed my private parts for a brief moment, but it was enough to get me even more excited. A soft moan escaped my lips as he softly bit into the tender flesh of my mounds.

“Oh my god! Is that you, Harls?!”

I shrieked as I heard this familiar voice and threw my arms around Jerome’s shoulders, pushed him closer to me out of shock.

“What the…” muttered Jerome before his face got jammed between my breasts.

“What are you doing here, Cat!” I yelled bewildered and let go off Jerome as soon as he tried to get out of my iron grip. “I told you to stay away today!”

“I… well. Damn it, Harley, I can’t talk to you like that!” She motioned to my exposed skin and as soon as Jerome sat up I could see that my panties now where mid-thigh. At least he hadn’t completely pulled them off.

“Come on kid, get out. We’re busy here.” I heard him say, while I pulled my panties back on and snatched my blouse from the ground.

“We can’t stay here! Some cops are after me, they caught me stealing some milk for the cats. I thought I managed to get away, but they just entered the building.”

“Perfect.” Jerome sighed and got off me to put on his shirt again. I didn’t bother to get into my bra, simply fastened three buttons of my blouse and threw on my jacket. We luckily hadn’t bothered to take off our shoes.

“Let’s get going. There is a fire escape in the next room, we can get out safely there. You think you can jump down from the second floor safely, Cat?” I asked even if I knew it was no problem for her. This damn girl always landed on her feet, just like, well… a cat. The stairs of the fire escape got damaged some time ago and it wasn’t possible to enter the building on this way anymore. But if you were fit enough it was a perfect exit.

“Stop right there!” Someone yelled behind us, but we already climbed out of the window and stepped onto the metal stairway.

“Speed up a little, Harley!” Jerome urged me forward and we quickly descended, tried to get away, before the cops spotted all three of us. I wouldn’t get caught now, because of Cat. She was the first to jump down to the ground and even if I wanted Jerome to jump next, he almost shoved me down first, jumped directly after me. It wasn’t too high, I’ve jumped deeper before, without hurting myself. Cat was already running for the street and cast me an apologizing gaze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know they’d follow me inside. I owe you, Harls!”

With that she was gone and left me alone again with Jerome. We heard someone jumping out onto the metal staircase and he swiftly took my hand, pulled me along with him. “We should go too.”

 

We passed at least two blocks and ran into a backstreet before I was sure, no one followed us. I was panting a little as we finally halted and suddenly found myself thrown against a brick wall. Jerome held my hands in a tight grip above my head and pressed his body against mine. He looked down at me and tried to intimidate me. It wasn’t working, not anymore.  
“You really are a tease, sweetheart.”

“It’s not my fault we got interrupted. I’m sorry, J.” Well, maybe he intimidated me a little, at least when he looked at me with this intense glare.

“I know, but that doesn’t change a thing. What keeps me from fucking you right here in this alley?” He parted my legs with one of his knees and grinned at me. “Tell me, Harley-girl. Are you already wet for me?”  
“Please don’t J… I don’t want it to be like that. At least not at the first time.” I pleaded and hoped that he’d understand it. Doing it on the leather couch would have been okay, but here, out in the open? No thanks.

He kissed me hard and briskly, before letting me go again. “Okay. But only because you’re a stupid little virgin. I’d love to hurt you a little, but I’ll play nice today.”  
“I thought you’d love to be the one to taint me. Would you prefer it if I get rid of my hymen somewhere else until next time?” I know that these words could get me into serious trouble, but I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Don’t you dare, sweetheart. You promised me your first times, don’t you ever forget that.” An evil grin was plastered over his face and I tried to see it as a good sign. When he was really angry he usually stopped grinning. Before I could reply something, he turned to go, left me standing there, still leaning against the wall. “I’ve got to go back. The others probably started to pack up already.”

“What? I thought we’d have the whole day!”  
“Nope. We are leaving in the night, or tomorrow morning at the latest.” He waved his hand nonchalantly and looked back for a last time. “Make sure we don’t get disturbed next time.”

“But… J! I can’t wait for another year!” I screamed and ran after him.

His grin only seemed to widen. I hated how he enjoyed to tease me. “Sure you can, Harley-Girl!”

* * *

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yes. I am such a tease haha!  
> Here is the next chapter and as always, I am already working on the next.  
> I hope you enjoy the story so far! A big Thank you to everyone who sent kudos and especially to my 3 reviewers :)


	5. Between Year Two and Three

**_June 25 th_ **

 

_16:05_

Harley-Girl

Hey J, I know u don’t want me to be clingy… but how r u? I already miss ya… a lot.

  
_17:12_

Mr. J

U can’t be clingy when I’m miles away. I’m good between my mother’s constant nagging and the stupid circus job.

 

_17:15_

Harley-Girl

Glad ta hear u’re doing as fine as u can. My mom’s a pain in the ass atm too. Bert is gone and now she’s drowning her sorrow in the alc. I hope she doesn’t die in a puddle of her own puke. Don’t want to end up in an orphanage.

 

_17:20_

Mr. J

Bad weed grows tall.

 

_17:22_

Harley-Girl

Suppose u’re right. Do you miss me too?

 

_17:29_

Mr. J

Not really. But I do miss those wicked red panties.

 

_19:12_

Mr. J

Come on, I’m only joking! Don’t be a priss. Of course I miss u, but don’t expect me to tell u that for the whole next year. And here I though u couldn’t be one a those clingy girlfriends over the phone.

_19:22_

Harley-Girl

Fine, I won’t bring it up again. Didn’t we decide we wouldn’t call each other ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’. After all it was u who didn’t want to be shoved into monogamy.

 

_19:30_

Mr. J

I don’t have to be monogamous, but u have to. I don’t like it when other ppl touch my things. :P

 

_19:31_

Harley-Girl

I hope u r joking again, Mister. If I’m not allowed to fool around with others, u aren’t either!

 

_19:40_

Mr. J

Then let’s stick with our earlier agreement. No relationship, no obligations.

 

_19:42_

Harley-Girl

Good. I gotta go now, my mother puked again… have a nice evening, J. :*

 

_19:40_

Mr. J

I’d wish u a nice evening too, but I know it won’t be… Talk to you soon, Harley-girl.

 

* * *

 

 

**_August 15 th_ **

 

_15:52_

Harley-Girl

Haven’t heard from u in a while. Ya clingy not-really-girlfriend wants to know how u r doing. :*

 

_17:23_

Mr. J

Your not-really-boyfriend is doing ok, but busy. The whore insists I work harder and finally set up an act of my own. Don’t need to tell ya I’m not amused.

 

_17:36_

Harley-Girl

I wish I could help ya. Would a nudie pic cheer ya up?

 

_17:37_

Mr. J

It’d make my day, u naughty little girl.

 

_18:01_

Harley-Girl

[PIC]

Here ya go ;)

 

_18:02_

Mr. J

It doesn’t count as a nude pic, when u’re still wearing underwear. But I got to confess, I missed those red panties.

 

_18:05_

Harley-Girl

It has ta be enough, at least for now. U get a pic of my bare boobs as soon as ya manage to be to first to write me from time to time. I’m getting the impression, u only told me that I am special to get my panties off. :P

 

_18:02_

Mr. J

You little minx. Maybe I’ll try to be more attentive, but now I gotta go. Next show’s about to start soon.

 

* * *

**_August 17 th_ **

 

_22:09_

Mr. J

Hey, gorgeous. How u doin?

 

_22:16_

Harley-Girl

J! I started thinkin u’d never write and weren’t interested in my boobs anymore. Doin fine I guess.

 

_22:17_

Mr. J

How could ya think that?! I’m shocked at your lack of faith… I’ll never forget my Harley-girl. Just had a lot a work, as always.

 

_22:19_

Harley-Girl

It’s alright, I’m just joking ;) I already got the blues, schools about to start soon again… Do you have to go to school or how is that handled at Haly’s?

 

_22:22_

Mr. J

The other kids and I get home schooled, we don’t really get a summer break, to make up for the time we lose due to working and training. Can’t wait to finish this shit and get away.

 

_22:23_

Harley-Girl

Damn, that really sounds dreadful.

 

_22:24_

Mr. J

U could cheer me up with a certain photo u promised me ;)

 

_22:26_

Harley-Girl

Not yet, u’ve still not earned it :P

 

_22:26_

Mr. J

Oh come on. Be a good girl and do what daddy says…

 

_22:27_

Harley-Girl

Woah. Slow down, ginger. I’m never ever gonna call ya daddy.

 

_22:27_

Mr. J

Don’t be so uptight, sweetheart. Usually u’re the bold one.

 

_22:29_

Harley-Girl

U know. Maybe I’ll call ya daddy when I see ya the next time. I’ll make sure we won’t be disturbed again.

 

_22:32_

Mr. J

If I’ll ever see that damn pussy cat again, she gets a punch in the face…

 

_22:35_

Harley-Girl

Don’t be angry at her. She was scared and didn’t know where else to go. I’ll be all yours next time, I promise, J :*

 

_22:36_

Mr. J

U’ll better be serious, or I’ll show you how bad I really am.

  
_22:37_

Harley-Girl

I’ve already got a super plan, it’ll be brilliant! :D I gotta go now. Have to do some work tonight, might be the jackpot. Talk to you soon, puddin’ <3

 

_22:40_

Mr. J

Puddin’? Couldn’t ya think of something else? I’d certainly prefer daddy….

 

_22:40_

Mr. J

Try not to get caught. I guess there aren’t any conjugal visits in juvie.

 

* * *

 

**_August 18 th_ **

 

_10:52_

Mr. J

How did the job go?

 

_11:32_

Mr. J

Are you sleeping in? Get up and talk, sweetheart.

 

_13:30_

Mr. J

That’s not funny anymore, Harls.

 

_16:16_

Mr. J

Harleen Frances Quinzel. If this is your idea of getting my attention it has certainly worked, but if I find out that you’re deliberately ignoring me, I’ll kick your ass as soon as I see you again.

 

_19:32_

Harley-Girl

Oh my god, I am so sorry, J… I didn’t want to upset you. I almost got caught yesterday and couldn’t return home immediately. I’m never taking my phone to my jobs and I just came home a few minutes ago. I have a few scratches, but I’m alright, no need to worry :3

 

_19:39_

Mr. J

Glad to hear you are alright. What went wrong?

 

_19:40_

Harley-Girl

I don’t want to talk about it via text. I’ll call ya in a minute and tell you everything about it.

 

* * *

**_August 19 th_ **

 

_14:23_

Harley-Girl

[PIC]

You were so sweet yesterday, Mr. J. Someone earned himself a steamy pic ;)

 

_14:25_

Mr. J

You naughty little girl… You certainly know how to stage that little body of yours…

 

_14:26_

Harley-Girl

Aww, thank you, puddin’ Am glad u like it.

 

_14:29_

Mr. J

Like it? Trust me, I looooove it XD Good girl.

 

* * *

…

* * *

 

**_October 7 th_ **

_18:28_

Harley-Girl

Sorry I didn’t write much lately. School has been horribly stressful and I had to pick up training again. But I managed to get into the cheerleader squad! I’ll send ya a pic of me and my costume as soon as I get it! I am so excited J! How are you doing? Is everything alright?

 

_19:01_

Mr. J

My Harley-girl is a cheerleader now? The only thing I got to say is… don’t you dare letting the guys of the football team fuck you. That’s too cliché and you still owe me some first times. Doing fine as always.

 

_19:03_

Harley-Girl

So I am allowed to give them blow jobs? I am sure you’d appreciate me getting some more practice.

 

_19:05_

Mr. J

You should stop trying to be funny. It’s not working. I already told ya I don’t like others to touch my stuff. :P

 

_19:03_

Harley-Girl

Not this subject again. As long as u refuse to accept us being ‘girlfriend’ and ‘boyfriend’ I do whatever I want.

 

_19:05_

Mr. J

I don’t think you’d even want other guys to look at you. Just admit it! I am the only guy for you.

 

_19:15_

Harley-Girl

I hate it when you know me better than I do.

 

_19:16_

Mr. J

Ha. Knew it.

 

_19:17_

Harley-Girl

No sexy cheerleader selfie for u, until u send me a nude pic first.

 

_19:21_

Mr. J

Really? I’ll see what I can do, sweetheart, as long as u stay away from the jocks ;)

 

_19:23_

Harley-Girl

Now that’s a deal I can live with! Talk to u soon, puddin’ :*

 

* * *

…

* * *

 

**_December 23 th_ **

 

_16:33_

Harley-Girl

Hey J. Where are you staying atm? I am so lonely.

 

 

_16:48_

Mr. J

Why do you want to know? You can’t come here anyways.

 

_16:50_

Harley-Girl

Why not? It would be fairly easy to jump onto a train and come to you. Don’t you want to see me again?

 

 

_16:51_

Mr. J

Course I do, but u gotta have a little patience. I’ll be back in no time.

 

_16:52_

Harley-Girl

Okay… but please let me know as soon as possible, when u’ll be back in Gotham. The last weeks were horrible. I don’t want to be separated from u anymore. Long-distance relationships suck. :(

 

_16:55_

Mr. J

We talked about this countless times already, sweetheart. Don’t make me angry. I’ll be back soon enough and we both know u won’t do anything stupid. U’re way too smart for that.

 

_16:56_

Harley-Girl

Oh J. I’m sorry. U know I don’t want to make u angry. I’ll be good I promise. Let’s talk about something else. When’s your birthday?

 

_16:57_

Mr. J

It’s 22nd April. When’s yours?

 

_16:58_

Harley-Girl

No way! It’s on 24th April! Isn’t that awesome! We’re both Taurus’s! We’re perfect for each other, J <3

 

_17:01_

Mr. J

Come on. It’s not that a big thing, Harley-girl. Keep calm :P Didn’t think u’d believe in something like zodiac signs.

 

_17:02_

Harley-Girl

I don’t really. It’s still cool!

 

_17:04_

Mr. J

Yeah it is. Talk to u soon, Harley-girl.

  

* * *

 

 

**_December 24 th_ **

 

_21:16_

Mr. J

[PIC]

Merry Christmas, sweetheart ;)

 

_21:19_

Harley-Girl

Holy mother of god…! It’s little Mr. J in a bow <3 Naughty boy… I love it! Took u long enough to send me something in return!

 

_21:20_

Mr. J

Haha! I knew you’d like that. But don’t call him little.

 

_21:20_

Harley-Girl

[PIC]

You even manage to make me blush from far away… <3

 

_21:22_

Mr. J

I love your cute, flushed face. But where is my present, naughty girl?

 

_21:25_

Harley-Girl

[PIC]

Here ya go Mr. J!

 

_21:27_

Mr. J

Oh my, those pictures get better and better.

 

_21:25_

Harley-Girl

Merry Christmas, Jerome <3

* * *

…

* * *

 

**_April 26 th _ **

 

_09:46_

Harley-Girl

Thank you again for that hot b-day present, J <3 U know how to turn me on.

 

_09:55_

Mr. J

Your present wasn’t bad either ;) The schedule of the circus has changed. We won’t be in Gotham around the annual date.

 

_09:56_

Harley-Girl

Oh no! D: When’ll you get here? But u’ll come to Gotham again this year, will u?

 

_09:59_

Mr. J

Course I will. Ha. Gotcha! We’ll arrive in May already. Probably around the 4th of May.

 

_10:01_

Harley-Girl

Finally! That’s in a week! I’ve got so much to plan, J! Didn’t you know any sooner?

 

_10:03_

Mr. J

Baby, u should know by know how much I enjoy to tease ya. See you soon, Harley-girl.

 

_10:04_

Harley-Girl

<3 <3 <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my dear readers :) Please let me know if you liked this in-between chapter. I enjoyed writing this chat protocol and thought it would be weird, if they had their phone numbers and wouldn't start whatsapping, while they were separated.  
> Again, I wanted to say thank you for all the comments! Those make my day and keep me motivated a lot. A special thank you to Kate. I can't believe my little story is your favorite take on Jerome/Harley so far!  
> I don't know when I'll be able to update again. I have two final exams next week and have to concentrate on those for a few days, but I am super excited to write Year Three, so you won't have to wait too long. I at least will try to get it done before Christmas. :)  
> I hope you'll be patient with me! Thank you all again for comments and kudos!


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